Garment hanger



Oct. 22, 1968 w. B. CRANE 3,406,883

GARMENT HANGER Filed Jan. 10, 1967 INVENTOR. M44 ra/v 5. C64! g BY United States Patent 3,406,883 GARMENT HANGER Walton B. Crane, 4346 Matiliia Ave., Sherman Oaks, Calif. 95681 Filed Jan. 10, 1967,'Ser. No. 608,338

I 7 Claims. (Cl. 22396) ABSTRACT on THE DISCLOSURE A one-piece garment hanger has two cooperating garment gripping and supporting members at each of two opposite ends of a cross-beam for supporting skirts and similar garments. The hanger is designed for manufacture from plastics by mass production molding techniques.

Field of the invention This invention is concerned generally with garment hangers, but particularly with one-piece hangers of the type having integral garment gripping and supporting members designed to hold skirts or similar garments by frictional engagement therewith. Of'course, the invention is not limited to any particular type of garment, as the detailed design and dimensions of the hanger may be altered to suit different garments.

Except for a supporting hook, the hanger is made in one piece. It is provided with integral gripping elements of novel design to hold a garment securely without the use of additional members. The design has been made simple in order that it may be formed from tough, thermosetting plastics by modern molding techniques which are particularly adapted to mass production of elements of this character.

Summary of the invention The garment hanger of the present invention is typically molded from thermosetting plastics and comprises a beam, an integral depending garment supporting loop at each end of the beam defining an open window within the loop, and a depending resilient finger at each loop integral at its upper end with the beam and extending downwardly into the area of the window, the finger extending through the window from one side to the other to cooperate with side rails and a crossbar defining the loop in frictionally supporting a garment placed between the loop and the finger. The resilient finger is preferably laterally offset from the loop at the upper end thereof and extends downwardly with a reverse curve, passing through the window from one side to the other of the loop and back again. Since the garment gripping elements depend upon frictional engagement with the garment to hold it in place, suitable means may be provided both on the loop and the resilient finger for holding the garment and resisting this downward movement. Typically, such means take the form of one or more various upwardly facing shoulder elements at the sides of the loop and on the resilient finger.

Brief description of the drawings The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front, end and top perspective view of a garment hanger embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

3,406,883 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but With a garment in place on the hanger;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevation of one of the garment gripping assemblies viewed from the opposite side of the hanger than is shown in FIGURE 1, as illustrated by the arrow 5 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section on line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Description of a preferred embodiment Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The garment hanger therein illustrated comprises the garment support structure indicated generally at 10 which is a unitary structure, preferably molded from one of the several plastics which are particularly suitable for this purpose. To this support structure is added a hook 11, or other suitable suspension means, by which the garment hanger may in turn be supported from a pole, nail, or other fixture.

The support structure 10 comprises a beam 12 which, for the most part, has a cross-section resembling the familiar I-beam. Beam 12 comprises a relatively thin web 14 at each side of which is a reinforcing flange 15 to strengthen the web in bending to resist the forces imposed upon it by the garment supported on the hanger.

Centrally of beam 12 is the suspending hook 11. Although it is within the scope of the invention to make hook 11 as an integral portion of the structure 10, it is preferred that the hook 11 be a separate metal member, as such a member can be economically made of wire and then mounted to swivel with respect to beam 12. The shank of the hook passes into a pair of aligned cylindrical bosses 16 in web 14 at opposite sides of cutout area 17. Just below the upper boss 16, the hook shank passes through a metal washer 18 at cutout 17. Below the washer, the shank of the hook is flattened at 19 to prevent it from being pulled upwardly through the washer. This metal hook construction is more fully described in Patent No. 2,460,438 issued Feb. 1, 1949, to Morris Treiman and entitled, Garment Hanger.

Dependent from each end of beam 12, which is nor mally horizontally disposed when the hook 11 is suspending the hanger, is a garment gripping assembly. These two assemblies are duplicates of each other and consequently illustration and description of one is a disclosure of both.

Each gripping assembly comprises a loop 20 of generally rectangular outline which is integral at its upper end with beam 12. Each loop comprises a pair of generally parallel side rails 21 which are formed by downward continuations of web 14 reinforced at their outer side edges by downwardly extending continuations 15a of the flanges 15. At their outer or lower ends, the two side rails 21 are interconnected by an integral cross-bar 22. which is, in effect, .a continuation of the web 14. One of the loops 20 is shown in rear elevation in FIGURE 5 from which it will be seen that the two spaced side rails 21, cross-bar 22, and a portion of beam web 14 define a generally rectangular opening or window 24 extending through the loop.

As shown particularly in FIGURE 2, each of the side rails 21 depends from beam 12 substantially in the plane of the beam and is, for the most part, straight, although the lower ends of both of the side rails and the interconnecting cross-bar 22 are curved outwardly toward one side of the beam. Referring to the side of the hanger as seen in FIGURE 1 as the front side, the side rails 21 are curved forwardly so that the cross-bar 22 connecting them together is disposed forwardly of the plane of beam 12 and the major length of side rails 21.

Each of the gripper assemblies also includes a resilient finger 25 which is integral at its upper end with beam 12 and depends therefrom into the area of window 24. As may be seen particularly in FIGURE 2, the upper end of finger 25 is laterally offset from the plane of beam 12. This is done, as will become more apparent, in order to provide a spacing between finger 25 and loop 21 into which the garment G can be introduced. The offset of finger 25 is typically rearwardly from the plane of side rails 21. The finger is connected to the beam by a plurality of thin connecting strips 26 preferably arranged in a box-like configuration to give rigidity and strength with thin sections. Below the beam 12, finger 25 curves reversely so that the finger extends through window 24, passing through the window from the rear side and then coming out again on the rear side. The lower terminal portion of the finger has a convex face 25a facing forwardly, i.e., toward the garment G.

The normal or rest position of finger 25 is illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 2, but because of the resilient nature of the finger, it may be moved rearwardly to the dotted line position in order to facilitate insertion of a garment G between the finger and the loop. When released, the finger then returns to its full line position and, in effect, pokes a portion of the garment through window 24. The garment then assumes a position substantially as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Since plastics often have smooth, waxy surfaces with a low coefficient of friction making it difiicult to adequately and securely hold the garment in the hanger, it is preferred that means he added to increase the frictional engagement of the hanger parts with the garment supported thereby. Such frictional means may take any one of numerous forms, and it is not intended that the particular configurations herein described be considered as limitative. In its simplest embodiment, such frictional means may consist of roughening the convex forward surface of finger 25, as

by providing a series of horizontal ridges. However, to obtain a more secure grip, it is preferred to provide, at the convex portion 25a of finger 25, upwardly facing shoulder means as illustrated in FIGURES l and 2.

Such shoulder means take the form of a pair of forwardly extending projections located on the forward side of finger 25 at or near the crest of the convex surface 25a as shown in FIGURE 2. These projections have corners which engage and frictionally hold the garment when finger 25 presses against it, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Preferably, two such projections 28 are provided on each finger 25; and they may be interconnected by horizontally extending reinforceing web 29 to reduce the possibility of breaking them off.

In addition to the garment engaging shoulder means on the fingers, there are also provided upwardly facing shoulder means on each loop 20, such shoulder means being provided thereon at each of two opposite sides of the window 24. One such shoulder means is conveniently provided at the periphery of window 24 by abruptly reducing the width or horizontal dimension of the lower portion of the window, thereby providing a pair of upwardly facing shoulders 30, as shown particularly in FIG- URE 5. Finger 25 extends down into the narrower portion of window 24 so that the garment being supported weaves in and out of the window and is held between the finger 25 and the edges of window 24, as shown particularly in FIGURE 4. Consequently, the spacing between the elements of the hanger at this point is of the order of magnitude of the thicknesses of the fabric being gripped. This weaving configuration of the garment causes the garment 4 to be engaged and frictionally held by shoulders 30. The weaving takes place in both a horizontal and a vertical direction, as may be seen in FIGURES 4 and 3, respectively.

Optionally, but desirably, other upwardly facing shoulder means may also be provided on the side rails, as at 32. These shoulders are projections on the forward side of each of side rail-s 21 and are located adjacent window 24 with their upper ends substantially at the level of shoulders 30, or slightly below. On the rear side of each loop of the garment supporting assembly, the shoulders provided by projections 32 are brought into engagement with the garment by the action of finger 25 in poking the garment into window 24.

It will be noticed in FIGURE 2 that the lower ends of finger 25 and loop 20 extend outwardly in opposite directions. This arrangement has various advantages, including the fact that it facilitates grasping the two members to spread them apart as a preliminary step to inserting the garment between them. Also, the curvature of the tips of these two members is so directed that a smoothly flared entry is provided into which the garment is inserted as it is pulled upwardly into the slot formed when finger 25 is moved rearwardly to the dotted line position of FIGURE 2 in order to receive the garment in supporting relation to the gripping assemblies.

The lower ends of the loop 20 and the finger 25 below shoulders 28 are preferably curved, as shown, for both practical and aesthetic reasons. However, it is within the scope of the invention to change the curvature or even to make these portions straight, if desired.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that various changes in the detailed structure and arrangement of the component parts of the garment hanger constituting the present invention may occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is considered as being illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising:

a beam of molded plastic;

an integral depending garment supporting loop at each end of the beam disposed substantially in the plane of the beam with the inner edge of said loop defining an open window;

and a depending resilient finger at each loop integral at its upper end with the beam and extending downwardly into the area of said window from a position at one side of the beam, the finger when unstressed extending through the window from one side thereof to a position beyond the other side of the window and then back to the first side thereof to cooperate with the loop in frictionally supporting a garment placed between the loop and the finger.

2. A garment hanger as in claim 1 in which each loop includes a pair of side rails and a cross bar interconnecting the outer ends thereof; and the associated finger is curved in a vertical plane and the free end thereof is spaced upwardly from the cross-bar.

3. A garment hanger as in claim 1 in which each window has a pair of upwardly facing shoulders in the Perimeter of the window formed one at each of opposite sides of the window, a lower portion of the window being of lesser width than the window above the shoulders, said shoulders being in position to engage a garment and restrain it against downward movement.

4. A garment hanger as in claim 1 in which each resilient finger is laterally offset from the associated loop at the upper end thereof and a lower end thereof having a reverse curve, passing through the window in said loop from one side to the other side of the loop and back again to said one side.

5. A garment hanger as in claim 4 which also includes:

upwardly facing shoulder means on each resilient finger, said reverse curve having a convex portion reaching said other side of the loop, said upwardly facing shoulder means being located at said convex portion and said upwardly facing shoulder means being located at said convex portion in position to engage a garment to restrain it against downward movement.

6. A garment hanger as in claim 5 which also includes:

upwardly facing shoulder means on each loop, comprising shoulders in the perimeter of the window formed one at each of opposite sides of the window, a lower portion of the window being of lesser width than the window above said shoulders, the shoulders on the loop being below the shoulder means on the associated resilient finger.

7. A garment hanger as in claim 6 which also includes:

second shoulder means on one side of the loop adjacent and below the shoulders in the window and also in position to engage a garment held between the loop and the finger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 1/ 1926 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. G. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

